


The Fight of her Life

by Daringdoublebassist



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Anxiety, One Shot, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sibling Love, War Veteran Natasha Romanov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 04:24:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12975837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daringdoublebassist/pseuds/Daringdoublebassist
Summary: Natasha had been so good at fighting for others that, now, she would excel in fighting for herself.





	The Fight of her Life

“Now, you take good care of your sister, Bobbi,” their father sent a wink in Natasha’s direction. “You know what she’s like!”

“Papa!” Natasha’s indignation did not quite overtake her laughter as he pulled her into a tight hug. “Stop!”

“These are all things you need to hear, darling.” He now addressed her older siblings. “No getting her drunk before she’s legal.”

“As if we would!” Maria scoffed, toeing a stray box underneath Bobbi’s kitchen table. 

“I know you, Maria Hill.”

Natasha turned a smirk on her father, sighing. “Are you leaving now?”

He grinned at her merrily, “Trying to get rid of me, Romanoff?” One hug later and he appeared prepared to follow the suggestion. “Bye girls. Ring Mom later, Nat, okay? Be good.”

“Don’t worry!” Bobbi called after him, “I’ll have her ‘adulting’ in no time!”

Surveying the quiet chaos of her new apartment, Natasha sighed. The table remained strewn with bubble wrap and newspaper. Though the majority of her possessions had found a place in the flat, there were still some items that hadn’t been squared away. Both sisters, busy with toasting each other on their speedy dismissal of their father, did not seem bothered with this mess. But Natasha preferred order – everything in its place; routines. Life seemed easier with a routine. 

“Do you want to get changed or are you ready to go now?”

Blinking blankly, Natasha watched her sisters pull on coats and scarves. She must have missed something. She cursed herself for disappearing into her mind again. 

“Ready to go where?”

Maria smirked, her bottom lip curling towards that dimple she’d never liked. “Out celebrating, of course.” She reached for Natasha’s bobble hat. “Mel’s coming, and my boy will probably turn up too. Are you in?”

To that face, it was difficult to say no. 

The bar was a surprisingly pleasant change from the flat: clean, tidy, sharp-looking rows of glass bottles, overhead lights that kept the room well-lit but muted. The ceiling was high, with skylights but no eye-level windows. Natasha observed two fire exits on their way in – one to the left of the bar and another to the right. The one to the right was obscured by a curtain, potentially hazardous in an emergency. 

“Natasha!” She was caught up in soft arms and burrowed into spicy smelling long dark hair. “It’s so good to see you. How did the move go? I hope Dad didn’t cry too much, he just never had the opportunity when you first left, thought he should be strong for you…”

“There was no need for tears this time, because Dad trusts me to take care of Nat. I’m responsible now.” Bobbi sent Natasha a slightly patronising leer, before elbowing her aside to hug their companion. “Mel, it’s been so long, is that a grey hair I see?”

“Shut up, it’s been five days, give me back my baby sister.” Melinda shoved her aside and pulled Natasha towards her again. One hand cupped Natasha’s cheek, while fingers on the other stroked through her loose hair. “You look tired, sweetheart.” 

Natasha had forever thought Melinda’s eyes were the prettiest of all. Their arcane depths twinkled out like beacons. Using these weapons, she regularly caused sibling devastation. Natasha rarely found herself willing to lie to her oldest sister. 

“A little.” She conceded. 

“You can sit with me and Nick.” Melinda offered, “He’ll be here soon, he’s just parking.”

When Nick arrived somewhere, people just seemed to know about it. He was the kind of person who filled a space by doing as little as stepping into it. And it was at that moment that Natasha’s sense of awareness piqued; she managed not to flinch at the large hand on her back. 

“Hi kid.” He was a man of few words, but all were inordinately kind. She had no reason to fear him, Natasha told herself, as they embraced. He ruffled her hair with the gentlest of touches, and pulled that same silly face to her in reminiscence of their first greeting. “Glad you’re here.”

She shook off her shivers, blaming them on nerves. It had been a challenging day, and it was going to be a demanding few weeks, building everyday life into a stable routine. She was just in a tizzy from the strain. She noticed her sister and brother-in-law exchanging knowing glances. She wouldn’t admit to them how sick she felt being out of the flat, unable to sort everything into its rightful place. 

That’s what the move was about – why she’d been sent to live with Bobbi in absolute bedlam, and not to live on her own in distinct and uniformed regularity. It was another mile along the journey to freeing herself of the constraints previously imprinted into her brain. She was nearly there. She was nearly free. 

Melinda planted a kiss on her forehead and brought her out of her own mind. Sisters were good for doing things like that, Natasha had discovered. Sisters were superheroes or, at least, these ones were. 

There was a drink pressed into her hand. Green; she smelled apples. Crystal clear ice-cubes bobbed along the surface, and condensation sunk into her palm. The noise-level in the bar had risen. She could acknowledge the conversation Maria and Bobbi were having to the side, until-

“Steve!” Maria broke away from their little group to tackle the newcomer. Her boyfriend caught her against his body and kissed her strongly. He then drew back to beam at the group and brought her along bodily, with him to greet them. 

“Hi Nat,” He gave her a friendly smile, bending low to kiss her cheek. His blond hair glistened with fresh snow. “How’s city-life treating you?”

She shrugged, processing the question slower than usual. The bar came into piercing focus from its previous blur. Natasha found herself quipping, “Bobbi’s my ball-and-chain.” And hearing the jab, Melinda seemed to brighten. 

It would be a long road, but seeing her sisters straighten-up, faces adorned with fierce pride, feeling pokes from them and hearing their laughter that she was as-ever immovable to tickles, Natasha decided trying to be civilian it would be worth it. She had never deserved their support, but they had given their love freely. And so, they deserved all of it she could possibly give them in return. Natasha had been so good at fighting for others that, now, she would excel in fighting for herself.


End file.
